RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as anti-IL-6 chimeric monoclonal antibody, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well anti-IL-6 chimeric monoclonal antibody works in treating patients with metastatic prostate cancer that did not respond to hormone therapy.

PSA response is defined as a 50% reduction in accordance with the recommendations of the orginal PSA Working Group. Confirmed PSA response is defined as PSA response at two or more time points at least 4 weeks apart, without objective disease progression or symptomatic deterioration.

Complete Response (CR) is a complete disappearance of all measurable and non-measurable disease. No new lesions. No disease related symptoms. PSA = .2 ng/ml. Partial Response (PR) applies only to patients with at least one measurable lesion. Greater than or equal to 30% decrease under baseline of the sum of longest diameters of all target measurable lesions. No unequivocal progression of non-measurable disease. No new lesions.

Number of Patients With Grade 3 Through Grade 5 Adverse Events That Are Related to Study Drug [ Time Frame: Patients were assessed for adverse events after every cycle (1 cycle = 14 days) of protocol treatment ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

Prior radiotherapy within the past 2 months allowed, but disease is considered nonmeasurable

Rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after > 2 courses of chemotherapy OR within 6 months of last chemotherapy dose

Rising PSA defined as at least 2 consecutive rises in PSA to be documented over a reference value (measure 1)

PSA ≥ 5 ng/mL

Surgical or medical castration required

Castration using luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist (leuprolide acetate or goserelin) or antagonist (abarelix) should not be interrupted

No history of brain metastases OR currently treated or untreated brain metastases

Patients with clinical suspicion of brain metastases must have a brain CT scan or MRI negative for metastatic disease within the past 56 days

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Zubrod performance status 0-2

Fertile patients must use effective contraception

Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm³ (transfusion independent)

Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ (transfusion independent)

Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL (transfusion independent)

Creatinine clearance ≥ 40 mL/min

Bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2 times ULN

No uncontrolled intercurrent illnesses including, but not limited to, the following:

Diabetes mellitus

Ongoing or active infection

Symptomatic congestive heart failure

Unstable angina pectoris

Cardiac arrhythmia

No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

No known HIV positivity

No other prior malignancy except for the following:

Adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer

Adequately treated stage I or II cancer in complete remission

Any other cancer from which the patient has been disease-free for 5 years

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

See Disease Characteristics

At least 21 days since prior surgery and recovered

At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy and recovered

At least 28 days since prior flutamide or ketoconazole

At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy (to < 30% of the bone marrow only) and recovered

Prior samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium allowed

No prior strontium chloride Sr 89

At least 42 days since prior bicalutamide or nilutamide

More than 60 days since prior murine or chimeric proteins or human/murine monoclonal antibody

Concurrent bisphosphonate therapy allowed provided the following are true:

Therapy commenced at least 3 weeks ago

Therapy continues for the entire duration of study treatment

No other concurrent anticancer therapy, including cytotoxic therapy, biologic therapy, radiotherapy, or hormonal therapy (except for luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist or antagonist in patients who have not had an orchiectomy)

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00433446